Legacy
by Chibi Tenshi
Summary: A bit of an AU fic featuring a FY crossover. Chapter 1 has been posted, and is only a slight indication of the insanity to come. It's an experiment in writing styles, something a little different from my usual. Chapter 2 is up!! (Please refer to Author
1. A Moment in Time

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Fushigi Yuugi, or any other recognizable ones. 

Tenshi's Notes: Minna, I have been a busy girl, on a massive writing binge thanks to my muse, Usa-chan! I've had this idea for a while now and as a teaser, I'm giving you the prologue to tide you over. No worries, Goddess fans (all 3 of you out there). That fic **WILL** finish, I can guarantee you that, and I won't make you wait too long for it either (unless of course reviews go down). After this point, this fic takes off on a strange twist. So you won't get confused, I will be playing with timelines a **LOT** (more so than usual) and the style of writing will reflect that. Those that have watched Pulp Fiction will recognize what I've done. Secondly, who is this little girl? For those who think you know it, I assure you you probably have it wrong. Anyway, just enjoy what I've done. Special thanks to all my poor guinea pigs (Jade-chan and B-chan especially) for testing out this fic for me, and I want to announce my adoption of my two imouto-chans: Ivory-chan, and Usa-chan! *glomps* 

Chibi-self (aka Silver-chan), one down, and MANY more to go! 

Last note I swear it, I'm not sure when the next chapters of this fic are coming through. I have sooooo many fics on the go now it's not even funny. *wails* Anyway, if I get enough reviews, I'll try to put up more chapters. 

Thanks to all my readers and fans for being there! Ja!

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Prologue: A Moment in Time

He felt as if he was drowning upon a sea of pain. He had never had any choices, any options. It had always been about duty. Why was his life never his own? His father had passed on not too long ago, and he barely even had time to grieve for the man when his mother had made the decision. His life had always been about structure, discipline, and he never had the freedom to do anything he wanted, despite being one of the most powerful men in this empire. For all his wealth, he envied the children that ran so free in the villages, enjoying the simple things in life. Freedom. He had been a lowly pawn, with his life dictated for him. He'd never had any say in any matter. And now here he was. Sitting in his room. About to be crowned emperor of Konan. So why was it that he found himself locked in his chambers, dressed in his royal garbs, feeling so unbearably hurt? 

A flash of light appeared and a small child stepped into his room, looking around curiously. A young girl, from the looks of things, wearing the strangest clothing he had ever seen in his life. 

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" He demanded imperiously. 

"You looked sad, and I don't like it when people are sad." 

Stunned, he looked at her in shock as she came up to him. An aura seemed to surround her, and she looked to be sunshine and light all enveloped in one. 

"Why are you sad?" She asked curiously, sitting herself down cross legged near the chair that he had been lounging at. 

"I… who says I'm sad?"

"I saw you. You didn't look happy at all." Her eyes, so youthful yet shone with a maturity that belied her years. 

"How did you get here without the guards noticing?" 

She giggled, a bright happy sound as she stared at him wide-eyed. Looking around, she whispered to him, as if sharing a big secret. "Setsuna-san was talking to my 'kaasan, and I took her time key." 

"Nani!?" He yelled out incredulously. Of all the things he had been anticipating, he hadn't been expecting to hear about a time key? What was this time key?

"And then I was walking in this place, and it was really scary at first. But then I saw all these mirrors and I looked through all of them. Some people were dressed funny, and did strange things." Her brow scrunched up in confusion. 

He could only well imagine what she had seen. If what she was saying was indeed the truth, then she possibly would've caught glimpses of very interesting moments in time. 

"I stopped in front of this mirror and you were there. You were so sad, like you were thinking about something. I didn't like seeing you sad so I went through the mirror." 

She looked up at him. "What's your name?"

"Hotohori."

Smiling adorably, she beamed at him. "Hotohori-san, why are you sad?" 

"I found out that I'm going to be emperor." 

A look of confusion passed her face. "What's an emperor?"

He laughed, as she gave him a scowl. Re-arranging his features, he spoke quickly. "It's a man who rules over a lot of people."

"Like a king! Wakatta!" She seemed so proud of herself, and he found himself liking the child more and more each moment. She was a cute little thing, full of life and curiousity. "Why would you be sad if you were king?"

"I didn't have a choice," he replied softly. 

She quirked her head, staring at him curiously, not really understanding what he meant. "All you have to do is be your best, and love everyone as much as you can. Then you can become a good king."

The simple words struck a truth, an echo within his heart. A seven year-old had just cleared up his deepest worries. What if he had been a bad king? Was he capable of ruling Konan like his father had? Bringing the empire to shine above the others? Would Suzaku bless him, and allow him to be a wise ruler? And she had answered it with the wisdom of a child. Be the best he could be, and love everyone. Had everything been that simple at that age? 

He gave her a smile, and the girl stared at him, awestruck and she felt a warmth spread through her cheeks. What a pretty man. Not as pretty as 'tousan was but though he didn't know it, the little girl made up her mind that she was going to marry him when she grew up. Spring to her feet, she chirped out, "You're happy again."

"Hai, arigatoo… what's your name?"

"My name is…"

Her voice trailed off, staring behind him. Her eyes became wide like saucers as she covered her mouth. She looked like a child who had been caught doing something bad, which apparently she had. Without looking behind him, he had already sensed a strange, and powerful presence. Whirling around, he stood protectively in front of the young girl, glaring at the woman who now stood before him. Tall and willowly, she was pretty though her colouring frightened him slightly. Blood red eyes. She had blood red eyes. 

"Chibi hime…" she chided softly at the young girl who clutched at his robes behind him.

"Who are you? And what are you doing in my chambers?" Chibi hime? Princess? How was that possible? 

"You should've known better than that," she continued, ignoring his question.

"Setsuna-san," she called out plaintively. "I was bored, and you were talking to 'kaasan. And I have heard you talk about the time key all the time cos' that's how 'kaasan met 'tousan. So I tried to find it but I couldn't and I found Hotohori-san instead"

The woman laughed, transforming her face into one of beauty. "Come out, chibi hime. You know your mother will be worried about you."

"But I don't wanna leave yet. Hotohori-san is so nice to me. And look! He's not sad anymore."

How sweet this child was. How honest, and how sweet. Here was another person who didn't care about his position or his wealth. She simply liked him for who he was. Even though he had only lived for fourteen years, for the life of him, he could not ever remember a person who hadn't wanted to be close to him because of his wealth, or his position. Turning around, he crouched down so he was eye-level to her, and placed his hand on her shoulder. 

"Your okaasan will miss her little musume if you don't go back soon." Her eyes began tearing, and he felt his heart melting at the sight. 

"I don't wanna leave," she wailed throwing her arms around his neck. He froze suddenly, at the warm little body that had flung herself against his. He was confused. Such displays of affection were unheard of, and never experienced. Nobody had dared lay a hand on him. Strange feelings flooded his system, and he felt a surge of protectiveness for this little girl who had done so much in the mere minutes that she had been here. 

"Oo-sama," the woman called from behind him, going around him to try to pry the little girl who was now crying huge heart wrenching sobs. 

"Iie!!!!!!!!!" She screamed, tightening her arms around his neck. 

"We'll see each other again. Some day. Somehow."

She stopped, and sniffled slightly. "You promise?"

"Hai. I don't know how it's going to happen, but we will." 

She brightened up a little, recovering with amazing speed. "All right Hotohori-san. You be happy okay? And be a good em… em…"

"Emperor?" He offered, his eyes crinkling at the little girl.

"Hai! Sayoonara!" 

"Arigatoo, oo-sama." The woman bowed slightly before disappearing into the light. 

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And as he watched them leave, his own eyes began watering, and a chuckle escaped him. If she could cause that much trouble in such little time, he imagined the havoc she must've caused in her parents' lives. But she would bring them much joy, just as she had for him, if only for a few moments. 


	2. Fragments of Time

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from FY.

Tenshi's Notes: Minna-chan, I'll keep this as short as possible. This fic will be **EXTREMELY** confusing for quite a few chapters due to this new style I'm experimenting with. Essentially, all the time lines have been jumbled, as well as quite a few of the identities of the characters. ALL the clues are within each paragraph, and if you read carefully, you will know who each person is. The crossover isn't entirely FY/SM, and the style is very similar to that of Pulp Fiction (the movie). There's a great love story in the midst of it all, and many twists and turns that my imouto-chan assures me I'm extremely evil for doing. But hang in there, stay with me. I promise this fic will go somewhere, though you essentially won't know what's going on till the very end. I plan on having a sequence of events notes when this is done so you can check and see if you were right about what happened and who the character is. And here's another mystery for you to solve. Who is the woman in this chapter? Once again, I'm fairly confident no one will guess it. As I said, all will be revealed in the end. It's been extremely challenging trying to write this fic, and unfortunately, **I won't be releasing chapter 2 until Goddess is done** (You could possibly read it to entertain yourself if you'd like *giggles*).

One last thing, double lines indicate a time change, and single lines will be a change in perspective (to help simplify things a little). Other than that, this is more or less a teaser of the insanity that will come. Special thanks to Usa-chan (muse and imouto-chan all in one) for proof-reading my insanity, and coming up with the idea of someone getting trampled over. Thanks to all my chan's, my other imouto-chan, my chibi-self and all my reviewers for encouraging me to go on!

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Chapter 1: Fragments of Time

Wrapping a protective arm around her body, he snuggled closer, placing his head in the space between her face and her shoulder. She made a small noise, and he tightened his hold around her reassuringly, pressing a soft kiss on her cheek. A tiny smile appeared on her lips and she returned back to deep slumber. How was it possible that he had gotten so lucky? Had the stars always shone so brightly upon him? Or was Suzaku looking upon him, and finally granting his heart's desire? He had never dreamed it was possible to be in love with someone so passionately, so deeply. He would never have dared to hope that he would be able to find someone who was beautiful both inside and out, and she was all that and more. The sweetness of her personality, her caring nature, her blinding smiles, her beautiful face, and much more added up to the essence that was her. He inhaled the sweet scent of her hair, the long silky waves feeling incredible against his skin, and he wondered what would happen if he ever lost her. And he knew he would never, for he would defend her with his own life. She was all that ever mattered to him. He thought about how she popped into his life so unexpectedly, a spot of sunshine in his otherwise dreary life. She could make him smile because she was, and when she cried, her heartache felt like his own. He paused momentarily, amused at the thought that this exquisite woman had such power over an emperor. He chuckled to himself, and she stirred sleepily.

"Hoto-chan…" She mumbled, causing him to smile. 

"Gomen, itooshi."

She turned over tucking herself closer to his body, and he adjusted the sheets around them so her body wouldn't get cold. Her form fit perfectly against his own, and he gave a sigh of contentment. He didn't want any other woman by his side, and he winced inwardly at the secret he had kept from her. But he wanted to know what it would be like to be loved for who he was, and not the title that came along with his name. Though she had mentioned at one point in time how important the truth was to her, he thought it was a forgivable lie since it in no way shape or form changed the way he was, or how he felt about her. And when you were in love, anything was possible. He remembered a conversation that they once had.

"I want to know what it's like to stare into the eyes of a man, and know what it's like to feel completely loved." As his own golden gaze met hers, he had known that his eyes reflected that exact sentiment. Each stolen moment spent with her was precious and worth infinitely more than the wealth that he possessed. He thought of his advisors and how they would react once they found out. But they would accept it, simply because it was his wishes, and because he was the emperor. He could not picture another woman as his empress, his beloved. At this moment in time, life was truly perfect. He thanked Suzaku for giving him the only thing he had wanted in life, and as he thought about how blissful he was in life, he remembered that one moment in time and the promise he couldn't manage to keep. Mood slightly dampened, he stared at the sleeping woman in his arms, and felt the joy seep through his heart once again. Mentally apologizing to the little girl for not keeping his promise, he kissed the soft lips that never failed to make his blood stir. She responded even in sleep, and he smiled tenderly, pulling away. Burying his face in the silky strands of her hair, he whispered, "Wo ai ni, qin ai de." (I love you, beloved – or my dear) 

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Stretching happily, she wondered how it was possible that she could be so feel so alive. Hotohori was so… tender and wonderful. She had managed to peer past the somewhat arrogant and demanding man to see the different sides of him. She wondered how she could've felt like life was worth living before she met him. Getting dressed quickly, she moved towards the small kitchen in the run-down house that was her home. Singing softly, she prepared a simple meal. As she put the food on the table, she thought about her day ahead, and how the money was running out. She sighed to herself. Demo, Hotohori's staying at their place had really strained the family's finances. And with three growing siblings… she clenched her jaw in determination. She would work harder, and get more money. For her family, she would do anything.

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Her muscles ached, throbbing with each painful rake of the un-cooperating soil. The weather hadn't been kind this year, and as such, the soil of the land was woefully infertile, and required far too much labour in order to get one meager set of crops. Dropping the hoe, she sank to her knees, frustration and hopelessness overwhelming her completely. She almost gave in to the tears. She almost did. However, she didn't make it to this age by being weak. Hauling herself back up again, and ignoring the blisters and calluses that had formed on her once smooth skin, she resumed her task. The hot sun beat down on her, causing her to burn. Re-adjusting the hat she had tied haphazardly on her head, she was so focused on making something of this cursed plot of land when suddenly, she noted a stranger staring at her from the edge of the road. Peering, she tried to get a glimpse of the tall man but she found herself getting dizzy. Too late, she remembered she hadn't eaten, and that she had given all the food to her growing siblings. They were more important than she, and it was critical that she support them. Nobody else could. Not since 'tousan passed on anyway. She swayed, leaning against the farm tool for support. With a look of dismay, she was about to do something she absolutely detested. She fainted.

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He felt odd. He couldn't remember the last time he was in a home that poor and that run-down. Oh wait, he did have memories of squealing adorable children, including one who told him he was beautiful. They may have been poor but at least they were honest and smart. Shaking his thoughts, he concentrated on the woman who had fainted in front of him. Granted she wasn't the most beautiful of creatures (actually it fairly pained him to stare at her chapped lips, dirt-covered skin, and ugly hat), she was still a person in need, and as emperor, he should help out where he could. 

"All you have to do is be your best, and love everyone as much as you can. Then you can become a good king."

Blinking, he wondered where those words had come from, or why they had resurfaced from his memories out of the blue. _I am being the best I can, little girl. Is that good enough?_ He frowned at the woman at hand, and tried to figure what to do next. As emperor, there was very little that he had to do on his own. Where were the servants to make her better? Not to mention the doctor? He attempted to use his head, figure things out. 

"Let's see. Her lips are really dry, and her skin's odd looking. Maybe she could use some water." His eyes brightened at that reasoning. Of course! She needed water. She looked desperately dehydrated. Making his way over to a wooden bucket he spied not too far away, he grabbed a bowl and dipped it into the cool water. He was proud of the way his quick mind figured all this out as he carefully made his way back, trying not to spill any of the content. She appeared so still, and he felt his heart begin its panicked run, worried that she may die on him. He paused in front of her, at a loss for what to do next. He placed the bowl down, and lifted her head up, trickling the water down her throat. 

A sputter and a choking noise sounded and the woman almost sprang from his arms, dropping to her knees and heaving in gasping breaths. She coughed heartily and he jumped back in alarm. She glared at him from her position, and what he saw there made his heart stop, if only for a second. Those eyes. So eerie, yet so familiar. He was so unused to the look she gave him. As emperor, you really didn't have that many people giving you dirty looks.

"What do you think you're doing??" She yelled out, once she had regained her breath. 

Odd, she sounded a lot younger than she looked. And then, he halted once again. The water that he had inadvertently spilled on her had washed away some of the traces of dirt that had coated her face. The skin, though tinged heavily with red from the sun and possibly from anger, was remarkably clear. She got up hastily and narrowed her magnificent eyes at him. She wasn't that tall though she wasn't quite as short as Miaka was either. She flung her hat off, sending masses of beautiful hair tumbling past her shoulders. 

"Why were you trying to kill me?" She demanded.

Demanded? He was king and here was some lowly peasant girl showing such disrespect, though really he was intrigued by the idea. Someone who stood up to him, and treated him like a common man. The word "freedom" echoed through his head and he wondered if he was capable of earning a person's respect and love without the title that always commanded it. And suddenly, he wondered why it was so important to him that this woman standing in front of him would give that to him. Though to hear her accusatory words, he was slightly taken aback, and just a bit offended.

"Kill you? I was trying to give you some water because you looked so dehydrated."

She laughed suddenly, the bright cheery sound ringing through the emptiness of the room. "You know, stranger. The person really should be conscious before you try giving them water. I appreciate the thought though." Her smile, soft and pretty, caught his attention. He didn't understand why that was. He was constantly surrounded by beauties at the palace and he loved Miaka, whole-heartedly and painfully. Each time he saw her with Tamahome, it hurt him so much. But in his eyes, it was about Miaka's happiness. As long as Tamahome made her happy, that was all that mattered. "Doomo arigatoo gozaimasu," she added softly. Moving towards the water bucket, she splashed some water on her face and took a quick sip to revive herself. He found himself dumbstruck as he watched the layers of dirt come off her face and reveal a startlingly, magnificently beautiful woman. He never believed it could happen but the day had finally come. There did exist a person whose beauty rivaled his, and possibly even exceeded it. 

He watched in awe as the crystalline drops of water clung to her skin, and he was suddenly overcome by a yearning so deep that he nearly bent over from the force of it. She smiled, and he was struck by a blinding smile. Taken aback by the sensations that overwhelmed his temporarily, he could only stare at her.

"Gomen nasai. Where are my manners?" Her voice was musical, and strangely cultured, with an accent he could not place. Grabbing a towel, she gently rubbed her face, making her skin gleam with a pink glow. "Would you like something to drink?" 

He seemed to have misplaced his tongue. He, the emperor of Konan, was struck dumb by a mere female. Even Miaka didn't have this powerful an effect on his senses. And certainly not this quickly. He settled for a simple nod and she fetched another bowl. 

"What are you doing here, stranger?" 

Looking for our seventh seishi, he longed to say. But that would give away his identity immediately. She gave him a quizzical look as if gauging something in her mind. 

"Don't worry, I'm an honourable man." 

She laughed, the sound like the tinkle of chimes ringing in his ears. "I would've bashed you on the head by now if I didn't think you were one."

Demo, she made him feel like a kid again. Her keen sense of observation and intuition simply struck him, though what she was doing fainting in the first place still puzzled him. 

"Why did you faint outside?" 

She stared at him, just stared at him with those wide, magnificent eyes and some unknown emotion crossed her face before a look of embarrassment appeared. 

"I was working and I forgot to bring some water out with me. I didn't think the sun would be that hot." 

Working? His face scrunched in concentration, as if trying to fathom the strange idea she had mentioned. Her expression saddened suddenly and she moved to the front door of her house. He frowned slightly, not entirely keen on the fact that she was trying to hide something from him. And he wasn't sure why exactly either, considering he had just met her. As he made his way over, he noted something with a look of shock, one that caught her attention simultaneously. A poor child, a young boy to be exact, was about to get trampled by a horse that had eluded the grasp of its owner. It was like a moment frozen in time, and he could see it all happening in slow motion. The jerking of her body next to his and the fear and terror on her face would be forever imprinted vividly in his mind. His heart thudded painfully against his ears, and his body moved before his brain even made the conscious decision to do so. Moving faster than he ever had, he didn't want to question why he was bothering to save the life of a child he did not even know. As he pushed the young boy out of the way, the only thing he remembered was the pounding from the horse's hooves, and the image of a little girl smiling at him, saying, "… love everyone as much as you can. Then you can become a good king." 

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She was torn between the need to see the young boy and the stranger who had just risked his life to save someone he didn't know. Someone of no consequence. Her heart resumed beating and her feet made the decision for her to run. The screams had frozen in her throat, unable to sound out her emotions. _Kami-sama, please let him be okay. Onegai._ With a quick glance at the squalling boy, she immediately assessed that he was okay. The stranger, however, was not. 

She fell to her knees, and the gasp that came from her seemed to emerged from the depths of her soul. He was bleeding in countless places, nasty gashes that oozed its evidences of having tangled with the horse and lost. A huge bruise covered his forehead, causing her to wince slightly. Brushing back his long brown hair that had become a tangled matted mess, she felt immensely guilty and she felt a pain that she could not account for. Laying her hands gently on him, she was relieved to feel the slow but thready beat of his heart. _Onegai, save him. Onegai._

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And if you're confused at this point, re-read my notes at the top. Again, to sum things up, nothing will be obvious until much later. It took my imouto-chan (Genius!) a good three or four chapters to get part of the timelines straight. 


	3. A Stranger in Their Midst

Chapter 2: A Stranger in their Midst

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the FY/SM characters.

Tenshi's notes: *sweatdrops* Minna, in all honesty, I've all but dropped this fic. I'm currently very busy working on Again, and another ficcie for myself. I do love the idea for this story and the plot twists I've come up with. I just need the motivation. So if any of you are interested, leave your email, or email me directly. As soon as I write new chapters, you will get in it the mail as opposed to reading it on ff.net (unless of course, miraculously I get a **LOT** of reviews). Special thanks to Jackie for emailing me about it. This one is for you, and all the other reviewers who took the time to send me their comments. I appreciate it. This one is for all of you guys out there! ^-^ Ja!

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Translations:

Kurohebi – blacksnake

Ryuujin - dragon

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Chapter 2: A Stranger in Their Midst

She forgot the reasons why she was mad at him, and not speaking to him. All she saw was the face of the man she loved, standing there helplessly about to get destroyed. She hadn't meant to follow them, but the group of seven people had shown up unexpectedly. And though they were a friendly bunch, there were secrets that they were keeping from her. She shook her head, distracted by the thoughts at hand. The flame, the fear of loss, burst within her, and she could not for the life explain what happened next, or remember what she had done. It was as if another person had taken over. 

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They were woefully underqualified. They could never hope to beat Nakago at the rate they were going. He cursed under his breath. His weapon was powerless against Nakago's shield that had enveloped them. And in their last match up, he had remembered the sense of helplessness that struck him. He had been so cocky, so confident that they could take down the blonde gaijin that was the protector of the Seiryuu seishi. As he thought about his fellow seishi, he was once again faced with his own inadequacies. He winced as Tamahome took another painful hit from Nakago, the anger and rage boiling within him. He had to do something. He could not just stand here and watch the team die just like that. And Miaka. He had to protect her as well. As he brought out his weapon, Nakago merely smiled cruelly in response. 

"You forget how powerless you are when you're within the shield I created?" Kuso, that man almost seemed amused by his actions. He couldn't allow that as he gritted his teeth in aggravation and frustration. I will die if needs be, though hopefully Mitsukake will be able to revive me in time. His symbol glowed, almost matching the colour of his hair as he glared at the blue eyes of the Kutou general. 

"You will not defeat us," he snarled, standing protectively in front of Miaka. 

"You will die, along with your little miko there." 

The smirk totally got to him as he burned with fury. The sound of a sword unsheathing greeted the group present and Nakago burst out laughing. 

"This is the best you can offer?" 

A flash of light appeared, blinding them temporarily as they heard the clang of metal. It wasn't until later that they realised that the light had not come from the sword. 

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"Otousan, I hurt so badly." She clutched her arm that was broken, the tears flooding her eyes. Her father bent down to inspect the injury, wincing slightly as he did so. Scanning the area for a wooden splint, he proceeded to secure the arm, prevent it from moving further and causing more pain. The woebegone expression on her face always hurt him so much. She was so much like her mother in that way. Every emotion, every thought that went on in that head of hers was always open for the world to see. At least she wasn't whining as most little children were prone to do (even though he'd still love her if she did). Even as a baby, she was the most adorable child. She would never cry or give her parents too much grief. She fairly radiated with health and had begun walking at a young age. In fact, he was sure his precocious baby girl had skipped the crawling and walking stage and taken straight to running. She was so full of energy, a fitting symbol of the best of her parents' worlds combined together.

"You must remember to never let your guard down," he chided though the way he helped his child up was at odds with his tone. He felt so helpless with what was going on. It wasn't her fault that they were in this predicament. He had been bound by a promise to his wife, and he knew how badly she would hurt inside once she saw what had happened to their child. 

"Hai, otousan. I will do better next time," she said solemnly. 

He regretted the way things ended up, and why things had to happen the way they did. He wanted his only daughter to remain a child, and not grow up this quickly. She still managed to cling on to her childhood, and was bright and happy despite everything. He could only marvel and thank the gods that she had taken after her mother in that respect instead of him. He shifted, completely lost in his thoughts and nearly dropped his precious bundle. The motion jarred her arm, causing painful sensations to shoot up. 

"Onegai! Make it stop. Make it stop," she whimpered, biting down her lip to stop from crying.

"Gomen, musume. Gomen for everything," he whispered, pressing a kiss in her soft curls, feeling the familiar sense of helplessness hit him once again. 

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With blinding speed, she appeared suddenly in front of Nakago, who gaped at her. Those on hand would've found the expression funny if it hadn't been for the fact that an identical one hung on their face. 

"Leave him alone," her tone was chilling, at odds with the normally sunny and sweet disposition that the Seishi and the miko were used to. 

Momentarily stunned, the blonde general quickly regained his composure. He had never seen another human being move so quickly in his life. It was as if within a blink of an eye, she had somehow covered half the field's considerable length. She almost hummed with a peculiar energy that radiated from her. Nothing detectable to the human eye, but one that he was able to, given his own particular skills. A chuckle sounded, and her eyes narrowed at him. 

"Leave them alone," she repeated, her tone brooking no argument, eyes shining with deadly earnest. 

"This does not concern you, though I could care less if I kill you." 

"You believe that YOUR powers could kill me?" 

The grin on her face nearly threw him off. Such arrogance for one so young, and one so insignificant. She was not one of the seven seishi, and as such, her life was irrelevant. 

"You're pretty sure of yourself," he commented, allowing his amusement to take over. 

"What's this, a contest?"

_Smart-mouthed little shrew_, Nakago thought to himself. The bored look that had appeared on her face filled him up with rage and he dimly noted the look of horror and dismay on her friends' faces. He suddenly realised something. By destroying her, he could affect the emotions of the Seishi and the miko, and as such, irrational people were more prone to mistakes. That way, he could dispose of them finally. The urge to become the most powerful being overwhelmed him, and became his only obsession. _Very well. I will destroy you._ He smirked at her. "I will enjoy ending your existence. Stay back, Amiboshi, Suboshi." 

The twins hung back, ready to attack should the strange girl manage to somehow defeat Nakago, though it was highly doubtful that such a day would ever come. Even Tamahome's skills were lacking when compared to the shogun's. 

A brilliant blue glow shone from his forehead, causing her to freeze momentarily. _What have I gotten myself into? It doesn't matter. Confidence. I know I can do this. I know I can do it for him._ With a sudden roar, he leapt towards her, drowning out the cries of her name on everyone's lips. _Prepare, anticipate._ She stood still, holding his blue gaze steadily. She read the confusion in them as she stayed put, not moving until the very last second before his hand would strike her. He was fast, but it was a good thing that she was even faster. She disappeared momentarily, reappearing just as suddenly behind him. He spun around too late, trying desperately to shift his momentum backwards. She reached forth, grabbed his shoulders, and flung him backwards easily, as if he were a rag doll and not some man who outweighed her by a good one hundred pounds. 

The twins moved forth and caught the flying general though the impact sent them flying quite a few feet. The gasps of astonishment followed by silence greeted her as she stood there, not a hair out of place, looking calmly upon the blonde man who was now looking like he wanted to kill her most painfully. The red that flooded his face was almost comical in nature as she quirked her head sideways. Shoving the twins aside, he seethed and she could almost feel the anger radiating from him. 

"Now you're asking for it." 

No one in the group had ever seen Nakago using his power to full potential and the sight was eerie to say the least. The blue of his aura now felt ominous in nature, and the hatred that was in his system for being humiliated in front of the Suzaku seishi was palpable. Miaka shivered in response, feeling the cold rage spreading itself in waves. _Be careful my friend…_

He merely looked at her, and she felt the blow coming before it even appeared as an invisible wave. _Telepathic powers, ne?_ She almost grinned to herself as she accepted the blow, feeling like a hundred punches being thrown at her, though she vaguely remembered that training was a lot tougher than this. She slid back a few inches, before pressing her feet down firmly, willing her body to stop. The sensation and power swept past her, causing her hair to fall from the confines of the bun that had held it up previously, and taking the seishi behind her along its path. 

With the sunlight behind her, she looked fairly omnipotent as she grinned playfully at Nakago. 

"That's the best you can do?" 

Without warning, she moved, appearing in front of Nakago and punching him straight in the gut while staring into his eyes as she did so, the confidence of such a move shocking everyone senseless. And right before he passed out, he only had one thought on his mind. _Magnificent eyes…_

**********************************************************************

She remembered the happier times, the way her siblings would play joyously with the other children. She also remembered her father being alive, though he hadn't been the best man in the world, he was the reason why they were alive. A gambler by trade, she had found out about the huge gaming debts that took away every cent that they had. One by one, each piece of furniture, any item of remote value disappeared, and transformed into the empty house that they now lived in. Years of neglect had turned it into the run down building it was. Her siblings were a little older now, though painfully thin. She tried her best, to give them as much nourishment as possible. But that was expensive. And now, this had to happen. A sob escaped from her as the tears fell, streaking hot across her cheeks as she cradled her baby brother in her arms. He had fallen sick to some dread illness, and the only cure was one of the rarest herbs to be found in China. Besides the fact that the medicine itself was hard to find, she could not afford to buy it for him. She pondered her choices that were sitting in front of her at the moment. If only she could've asked someone for guidance, but time was of the essence. Ryuujin would die if she couldn't get her hands on that herb. She wished desperately that Hotohori was by her side. He had once told her that if she EVER needed any help of any kind, he would be able to figure something out. Closing her eyes as the conflicting emotions swirled through her, she cursed her ill-fortune as he had just left a few days ago on some urgent matter. He had promised her he would be back … for her, he had told her tenderly. 

"Hoto-chan… gomen for doing this. I have no choice. You have to understand. Onegai." 

To be honest, there weren't very many options she had. She only had one. Kurohebi. The richest man in their tiny village. A rotund man who should by all means be jolly was instead the personification of evil. He was essentially the official in charge of their area. And when he had first set his eyes upon her, she had noticed the gleam of lust in his eyes as he licked his lips, looking at her as if she were some delicate morsel he could devour. He had always wanted her, and the sight of his grubby, fat hands and evil cruel lips made her shudder in disgust. She had heard about his countless cruelties towards various villagers for some imagined offense against him, and their lives were usually used as payment. She cringed as she imagined how she would be forced to degrade herself in order to gain his help, and thought about all that she would have to do with him. 

"I love you, Hoto-chan." She wept for the loss of her life, and the loss of her love. But for her otouto, she would do anything. Taking a deep breath, she hoisted Ryuujin carefully, and making her way towards the palatial home. She would be forced to speak to the devil himself, and offer him her soul in exchange. 

**********************************************************************

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Hotohori yelled at her once Amiboshi and Suboshi had retreated with their severely weakened shogun. He wanted to shake her senselessly for scaring the life out of him. When he had seen her standing up so bravely to him, he had been admiring for the briefest of seconds before freezing in absolute shock. He almost made a run for her, to scoop her delicate form into the safety of his arms, so he could protect her life with his own. Before he could do so, something about the way she stood struck him as off… as if she knew what she was doing, and she was fully confident of defeating Nakago. It had struck him dumb when he had seen how quickly she had been moving. Even Tamahome could not move at such speeds. Within a blink of an eye, she had somehow ended up behind Nakago. And when that telepathic blast had been sent at her, his heart stopped beating. He swore by it. He seemed powerless to move though something in her eyes, an odd glint, told him that she would be okay. She almost seemed accepting of the blow and allowed it to sweep through her as she stood her ground firmly. Then in a move that surprised them all (and caused him to choke on his tongue), she punched Nakago in the stomach, probably causing quite a few internal injuries. He grabbed her roughly by her shoulders and shook her, trying to get some sense into her. The overwhelming fear of losing her was too much as he suddenly crushed her body against his own. He could feel the tears slowly squeak by the tightly closed lids. 

"I was so worried I would lose you," he whispered harshly against her ear, fighting the surge of emotions rising within. 

He felt her body slump in his arms, not before she managed to murmur some fairly cryptic words. "Okaasan, otousan, I miss you so much." 

It wasn't until much later that he discovered that the look in her eyes had been one of a stranger. 


End file.
